Table of Contents: AI-Generated Resumes
AI-Spun Resumes Are Running Amok.
Tired of corporate “Mad Libs”? We feel ya. AI-generated or AI-spun resumes are becoming increasingly common, especially as job seekers try to “game” ATS screeners. As job applicants race to pass AI-screening ATS systems, they use AI themselves to insert keywords and phrases to get to the phone call round of the job hunting process. Unfortunately, this problem is self-propagating, with more frequent AI usage on the rise.
While not all AI-generated resumes should disqualify a candidate, it’s important to note the signs of AI-assistance to ensure that you thoroughly screen each job applicant for verified skills and experience. Thankfully, there are simple, human-detectable patterns that recruiters can watch out for. No IT degree required, just your spidey sense.
You Don’t Need an IT Degree to Spot an AI-Generated Resume
Identifying AI-generated resumes doesn’t require technical expertise. Many of the most telling signs are right on the surface. No need to know how to identify IP spoofing (unless you want to in our recent article).
Most signs of AI-generated resumes are in the formatting, word choice, tone, and overall visual feel of the document. From overly polished phrasing to generic buzzwords and suspiciously inflated skills, these clues are easy to recognize once you know what to look for in your industry. Trust your instincts…if something feels off, it’s worth a closer look.
Top 10 Ways to Spot an AI Generated Resume
1. Overuse of Generic Buzzwords
You know them. You see these phrases in every conference pamphlet and hear them during meetings. Corporate buzzwords. While it’s normal to use one or two of them in a resume to create a professional image, it’s different if every sentence is packed with vague corporate terms. Watch out for phrases like “results-driven,” “motivated professional,” “synergy,” or “leveraged cross-functional teams.” It reads like a resume template without any real-world detail, then it probably is AI-generated.
2. Perfect Grammar, But Unnatural Phrasing
Sometimes, you can just get the sense that the wording doesn’t “feel” human enough. The grammar may be perfect, but these polished sentences end up sounding overly formal or robotic. Check out this example: “I effectively facilitated mission-critical initiatives to support enterprise objectives.” It’s grammatically correct, but it’s not how most people talk about their work. It’s vastly different from how people sound when you pick up the phone and talk to them, which is what we do when we screen candidates at Corporate navigators.
3. Keyword Stuffing
To pass AI screenings that unfortunately auto-reject over 50% of resumes before they reach the eyes of a human, many job seekers have resorted to keyword stuffing. If you notice a resume with a long list of keywords crammed into one section, often copied from a job posting, it is most likely written by AI. Here’s an example: “Agile, Scrum, SEO, CRM, ERP, AI, ROI, KPI, OKRs…” If it looks more like an SEO checklist than a resume, then it was meant for the eyes of bots, not man.
4. Inconsistent or Inflated Job Titles
AI-generated resumes tend to make the job seeker look suspiciously perfect, sometimes with job titles that sound unrealistic or strangely worded, such as “Brand Visibility Consultant” or “Data-Driven Optimization Specialist (Hybrid).” They may also change tone from one role to another with no clear career progression.
5. Too Many Accomplishments, Too Few Details
Every job lists several impressive-sounding outcomes, but there’s no supporting context. While humans can also write their resumes like this, the chances are far higher that AI has written a resume when it’s stuffed with unfounded accolades. In these cases, you’ll see claims like “Increased retention by 60%” that appear without mention of company size, tools used, timeframe, or methods.
6. Unrealistically Broad Skill Set
If this person seems too good to be true, with a skillset that’s all too perfect for the role, then it may just be AI-generated. For example, if the resume lists 20+ unrelated tools, platforms, and soft skills, functioning more like a scanner’s check list than a true list of accomplishments.
For example: “Excel, Python, Salesforce, Canva, TikTok Ads, SQL, Copywriting, Video Editing, Jira, Public Speaking…” It’s not believable for a single person to actively use all of these, so if you proceed with this candidate, vet them heavily during the job interview process.
7. Too Polished with Zero Human Imperfections
Errare humanum est, “to err is human,” which means that the absence of flaws can indicate the presence of AI. If the document is flawlessly formatted, with no spelling or grammar issues, but also no quirks or personality. Real resumes often include minor inconsistencies, like slightly different dash styles or line spacing.
- Note: Red flags of AI-generated text include long-complicated sentences and the heavy use of em dashes.
8. Repetitive Sentence Structure
AI enjoys repetition, which can result in each bullet point on a resume starting the same way, like “Led…,” “Managed…,” “Delivered…” This kind of formulaic writing is common in AI-generated content. While humans can also write like this, this pattern is very typical of machine writing.
9. Overly Formal or Awkward Word Choice
Whenever a resume is written in a way you wouldn’t imagine a human to speak, you need to look closer. Words like “thus,” “aforementioned,” “therein,” “utilized,” or “synergistically enhanced” appear too often in AI-generated documents, making them sound more like legal documents than natural descriptions of work.
10. No Tailoring to the Job or Industry
The opposite of an oddly specific resume is getting a generic one that feels like cannon fodder for the AI screening machines. In this case, the impersonal resume feels like it could be sent to 100 different companies. There’s no reference to the specific role, industry, company name, or target audience.
⏰ Don’t have the time or bandwidth to screen resumes? We got your back. At Corporate Navigators, we specialize in identifying truly qualified candidates, those whose experience matches more than just a well-worded resume. Our screening process goes beyond surface-level keywords to evaluate real skills, authentic career progression, and cultural fit. You won’t have to second-guess inflated claims or worry about AI-crafted applications. We do the digging so you can make confident, informed hiring decisions.
Not All AI-Generated Resumes Are a Red Flag
While some candidates use AI tools to misrepresent their experience, not every AI-assisted résumé is a cause for concern. Many job seekers use AI to help with grammar, formatting, or summarizing long work histories. What matters most is whether the résumé accurately reflects the candidate’s actual qualifications. Use these signs as a guide, not a rule, and focus on how well the candidate aligns with the role during interviews and conversations.
Spot AI-Generated Resumes without an IT Degree
Spotting AI-generated resumes doesn’t require advanced tools, just a trained eye and attention to detail. As job seekers increasingly rely on automation, it’s more important than ever for recruiters to recognize what’s real and what’s been engineered to bypass screening systems.
If you’re looking for expert support in identifying authentic talent and cutting through the noise, Corporate Navigators is here to help. Our team specializes in human-centered recruiting strategies that deliver results. Reach out today to partner with recruiters who know how to read between the lines.
